Broadcast News: His Girl Friday (1940)
Director: Howard Hawks Run Time: 92 min. Release Year: 1940
Starring: Cary Grant, Gene Lockhart, Helen Mack, Ralph Bellamy, Rosalind Russell
Country: United States
Language: English, French
Broadcast News: Journalism on Film at Gateway Film Center
In partnership with Columbus Underground, a seasonal series examining the state of journalism. Reception begins at 6:00pm, followed by a panel discussion at 7:00pm and presentation at 7:45pm.
Panelists Walker Evans (Columbus Underground) and Johnny DiLoretto (WCBE 90.5 FM) will share their unique insights into the fascinating intersection of comedy and journalism.
Learn more about the series here.
About the film:
Hildy, the journalist former wife of newspaper editor Walter Burns, visits his office to inform him that she’s engaged and will be getting remarried the next day. Walter can’t let that happen and frames the fiancé, Bruce Baldwin, for one thing after another, to keep him temporarily held in prison, while trying to steer Hildy into returning to her old job as his employee.
With snappy dialogue and fast-paced edits, His Girl Friday (1940) showcases the whirlwind nature of publishing. The screenplay was written by Charles Lederer and Ben Hecht based on Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s 1928 play “The Front Page.” One of the most compelling changes to the original story was introduced by director Howard Hawks, who wanted the character of the reporter to be a woman.
Often ranked among the greatest comedies ever made, the film has influenced countless filmmakers, and was included by Quentin Tarantino in his list of the top ten greatest films of all time for the 2012 Sight & Sound poll. Preserving its legacy further, His Girl Friday (1940) was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1993.
About the panel:
Walker Evans, Columbus Underground
Walker is the co-founder of Columbus Underground and The Metropreneur along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
Johnny DiLoretto, WCBE 90.5 FM
DiLoretto is a longtime Columbus media personality who has amused audiences since 1998, first by writing irreverent movie reviews for The Other Paper, then as ABC 6 and FOX 28’s nighttime entertainment reporter, and then on the morning broadcast, Good Day Columbus. DiLoretto co-hosts and co-produces Cinema Classics for WCBE.
About the filmmaker:
Howard Hawks was an influential American film director, producer, and screenwriter during the classic Hollywood era. A versatile storyteller, he worked in numerous genres and became known for his strong female characters. He is often ranked among the best directors of all time. With eleven films, he is tied with director John Ford for the most films included in the National Film Registry. In recognition of his body of work, Hawks was awarded an honorary Academy Award in 1975 – 50 years after he crafted his first feature film.
Some of his popular features include Scarface (1932), Bringing Up Baby (1938), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), His Girl Friday (1940), Sergeant York (1941), To Have and Have Not (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Red River (1948), The Thing from Another World (1951), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), and Rio Bravo (1959).
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